Cross-sectional ultrasound images of coronary arteries from patients enrolled in the study. Plaque buildup (colored areas) in an artery from a patient that lacks sensitivity to red meat allergen (left) is much lower than plaque levels in an artery from a patient with sensitivity to red meat allergen (right). (Angela Taylor, M.D., University of Virginia Health System)

Now a new study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology suggest that sensitivity to an allergen found in red meat may also contribute to the buildup of arterial plaque in some people.